Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Acknowledged
Collect comprehensive data on reproductive health delays, referrals, and treatment outcomes to address inequalities
Conclusion
Data and analysis must improve. The NHS should collect data on where there are delays in the system, where women are being referred from, which could highlight areas where community provision is lacking, which groups of women are most affected by delays, to allow better understanding of health inequalities, how many women are waiting for more than one type of treatment, and the satisfaction and outcomes of follow-ups, including which women and girls access this pathway. (Paragraph 99) 76 Period poverty
Government Response Summary
The government commits to reviewing and updating existing e-learning training packages for primary care practitioners to promote opportunistic reproductive healthcare during routine contacts like the 6-8 week maternal postnatal check. It will also consider what else can be done to maximise routine contact points but does not commit to collecting the specific data points requested to improve analysis of delays and inequalities.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We recognise the opportunities for making every contact count across the health system, in line with best practice. The suggested contact points are delivered in a range of settings by a range of healthcare professionals. Work is already underway to maximise these routine contact points. NHS England is planning to hold webinars for primary care practitioners, which will incorporate joined-up ways to promote opportunistic reproductive healthcare. Existing e-learning training packages will be reviewed as part of this recommendation and updated content incorporated to ensure alignment with this approach. In 2023, NHS England published guidance for GPs on the 6 to 8-week maternal postnatal check . The focus of these appointments is wide-ranging but includes reproductive health issues including contraception and pelvic floor health, as well as wider health promotion. These interactions provide an opportunity to address reproductive health concerns in a targeted way. More broadly, where women’s health hubs are in place, they provide an educational and supportive role to primary care, embedding public health functions within their local population footprint. They play a key role in areas such as: preconception care contraception cervical screening We will consider what else we can do to maximise routine contact points with health and wider public services. We remain mindful that a typical GP appointment lasts just 10 minutes, and so clinicians should continue to be supported to use their expertise and discretion to identify the most relevant priorities for opportunistic discussion (for example, domestic violence is another important topic to consider). More broadly, we also recognise it is crucial that primary care practitioners have the appropriate training to enable them to pick up on, and support, women’s hidden health concerns. All 42 integrated care systems ( ICSs ) in England have a regional training hub that supports GPs and primary care networks by advising on, developing, delivering and procuring education and training. Training hubs work closely with health and care systems to: support workforce priorities tackle health inequalities support patients